Hoteliers’ Voice

There’s something special about bringing hoteliers together in the room. For this third Roundtable Roadshow, we headed to The Headland Hotel in Cornwall. What followed was a series of honest, practical conversations about what it really takes to keep an independent hotel thriving.
From ownership and reinvestment to digital performance, IT infrastructure and the next generation of talent, this episode pulls together key moments from across the morning. You’ll hear from the team behind The Headland, their technology partners, and a young hospitality professional who started here at 14 and never left.
Those who feature include Veryan Palmer family director and Simon IT Manager and Charlie and young hospitlaity recruit at The Headland Hotel, James Cavanagh-Shaddock from Cornwall Hospitality Collective, Sharon Cowley of Net Affinity, Katrina Blunden from 80 Days, Sam McCabe and Eli Rous from Focus on Hospitality, and Paul Wells from Studio Moren.
What You’ll Discover
- Legacy Meets Leadership: Why reinvesting profits, protecting core standards and staying curious has delivered The Headland’s strongest revenue year yet.
- Data, AI and Infrastructure in Practice: From 6,000 monthly AI searches to cybersecurity, connectivity and proactive IT partnerships that keep operations resilient.
- Building the Future Workforce: How the Cornwall Hospitality Collective is rallying 45 members, engaging schools and turning students into hospitality professionals.
You’ll also hear from Net Affinity, 80 Days, and Focus on Hospitality, all working closely with The Headland to align brand, performance and physical experience. The message is clear. Success is not one initiative. It is collaboration, clarity and constant evolution.
Our sponsors also include Biteluxe, Studio Moren and Hospitality Action.
If you are an independent hotelier wondering how to balance heritage with innovation, or how to future-proof your operation without losing your identity, this conversation is for you.
Hoteliers' Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.

Coming live from the UK Hotelier Roundtable Roadshow - this conversation comes from Whittlebury Park, with our hotel host Bradley Spillman, Senior Digital and Marketing Manager, alongside and a panel of experts. We look into how a family-run estate is using data, design and technology without losing that human, hospitality feel.
Featuring David Ohanjanian from Up Hotel Agency, Sharon Cowler of Netaffinity, Prem Jethwa-Odedra from Biteluxe, Alessandra Leoni from Focus on Hospitality, Scot Turner from Auden Hospitality
What We Explore
- Personalisation & Story: How Whittlebury Park is using small, specific touches and guest data to move beyond generic messaging and create stays that feel remembered, not just recorded.
- Websites & Conversion: Why a clear brief, flexible design and a shorter booking journey turned Whittlebury’s website into both a brand window and a serious revenue driver.
- Tech & Human Balance: How booking engines, WhatsApp, on-site data capture and smarter F&B and spatial design can support direct bookings and guest satisfaction without losing the heart of hospitality.
What stayed with me from this roundtable is how hoteliers challenges are shared, whether running a vast estate or opening a single independent hotel. The tools are there, but the real work is choosing the right ones, aligning owners and teams, and keeping the guest’s reality at the centre. Sometimes - tech is not the answer.
Hoteliers' Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.

I always enjoy getting out to properties like Whittlebury Park, discovering what they have to offer across an expansive multi amenity resort and how they package it up. This conversation with Bradley Spillman, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, gave me a real behind-the-scenes look at how they juggle three very different businesses under one roof.
In a tour of their impressive golf, spa, and conference facilities, we talk about their approach to digital marketing, the smart investments they're making in tech and data, and how they're getting to know their audiences better while chasing new ones like the family segment.
What We Explore
- Three Businesses, One Property: Creates seamless experiences for completely different crowds across golf, spa, and conferences
- Digital Marketing Smarts: The tools and strategies the team uses to boost visibility, understand guest needs, and target fresh markets without losing the core appeal.
- Guest-First Innovation: Why investing in data and tech is all about delivering what people really want and how that's opening doors to new demographics.
Bradley’s insights reminded me why places like Whittlebury thrive: it's not just about the amenities, it's about knowing your guests and evolving with them. If you're in hospitality and wondering how to blend tradition with tech, this conversation will give you plenty to think about and maybe even steal a few ideas.
Thanks for listening to Hoteliers Voice. If it sparked something, share with a colleague or drop me a note. More episodes coming soon where we learn from the best in the industry.
Hoteliers' Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.

I wrapped up my Madeira trip with a real highlight: touring the Santa Maria with Nicholas D'Souza, the General Manager who's been with PortoBay for 13 years and knows every inch of this place.
We chat as we wander the property, diving into how tech keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes while the team focuses on that genuine, family-feel hospitality PortoBay is famous for. Nicholas shares stories of return guests who feel like old friends, the clever systems that make operations effortless, and why Madeira's unique vibe keeps people coming back year after year.
Through out conversation, Nicholas talks about his career - traveling the world and the yearning to return back to the home island that he loves.
It's a relaxed, eye-opening stroll that shows why this hotel group stands out - and how to make a career in hospitality.
What We Discover
- The Return-Guest Secret: Nicholas explains how 60% of guests come back for the average nine-night stay – it's all about that personal touch and island charm.
- Tech That Frees the Team: From seamless check-ins to inventory systems, the tools that let staff spend more time hugging regulars and less on admin.
- Madeira's Magic Touch: Why the island's natural beauty and PortoBay's family vibe create experiences you can't replicate anywhere else.
- Santa Maria's secret spot: How the hotel creates energy and fuels 50% of the hotel as well as feeding its guests
Nicholas reminded me why I love these spots: great tech is essential, but it's the people and the place that make you never want to leave. If you're planning a Madeira getaway, Santa Maria should be top of your list.
Hoteliers' Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.

I’ve been loving this mini-series on PortoBay, and in this second part, I get to chat with two people who really bring the magic to life behind the scenes.
I sit down with Fiona Fontes, who’s been with PortoBay for 15 years and is now Marketing Coordinator (with a real passion for digital), and Alex Esneriaga, Resident Manager at Ilha Porto Mare, who’s grown up on Madeira and knows these resorts inside out. We dig into how their app and loyalty systems keep guests coming back, the tech that supports flawless service, and why nothing beats a genuine human recommendation when you’re on holiday.
What We Discover
- Digital Loyalty That Feels Personal: Fiona explains how the app and smart campaigns turn one-off visitors into regulars who feel part of the PortoBay family.
- Tech Freeing Up People: The systems that handle everything from keys to bookings so staff can focus on real connections and those little touches that make a stay unforgettable.
- Human Over Algorithm: Alex shares why guests still crave authentic local tips from someone who knows the island, not just an AI suggestion.
Spending time with Fiona and Alex reminded me why PortoBay feels so special: great tech is brilliant, but it’s the people using it who create memories that last. If you’re thinking about guest experience or loyalty strategies, there’s plenty here to borrow.
Hoteliers’ Voice is one of FeedSpot's top Hospitality Podcasts and is produced by Urban Podcasts.